Jammu, Oct 17 (IANS): Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday carried out searches in Jammu, Kathua and Pathankot (Punjab) in a money laundering case.

Sources said that the ED is conducting a money laundering investigation against an educational trust run by former J&K minister Choudhary Lal Singh's wife and a former government official.

Sources said that the raids were carried out at eight places in Kathua, Jammu and Pathankot (Punjab) in the case against R.B. Educational trust run by Choudhary Lal Singh’s wife, Kanta Andotra and Ravinder Singh, a former government official.

CBI had filed a charge sheet in October 2021 alleging criminal connivance in the purchase of land for the trust between January 4 and 6, 2011.

The purchase was allegedly made in violation of the ceiling of 100 standard kanals imposed under Section 14 of the Jammu and Kashmir Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976. Subsequently, the ED discovered that the excess land purchased by the trust was being used for running a school and other commercial concerns.

"The places raided on Tuesday by the ED include those belonging to trust chairperson, land donors and third parties holding power of attorney from the land donors. The premises owned by a Patwari (Revenue Clerk), who had wrongfully issued ‘Fards’ (Copies of land records) for these land deals, were also raided," sources said.